


Sunset

by smithlets



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, i was actually originally gonna kill erwin off while they watched a sunset you guys got lucky, sad old men watching sunsets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 12:04:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5333450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smithlets/pseuds/smithlets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Erwin and Levi are both losers and like sunsets</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunset

They always watched the sunset. It became sort of an unspoken rule for the two of them over the years.

At least once a week, ever since Levi had barged into Erwin's office that one evening with tears streaming down his face after the expedition. Papers were scattered around the room, books missing from the bookshelf and strewn messily across the floor. Erwin had been sitting at his desk quietly. The dim lighting of a candle cast a shadow over his face. 

Isabel and Farlan. Their names still rung fresh in Levi's mind. Gone. Numbness overtook his mind.

His eyes were shadowed over, his hair messy and unkempt. Erwin noticed a slight tremor in Levi's hands as he lifted them to run his fingers through his tangled hair. 

The two of them hadn't spoken when Erwin looked up from his work. Levi's eyes said a million words and Erwin stood up instantly to pull Levi to him as they both sank to the floor when Levi's knees gave out in exhaustion. They stayed like that for a while, with Erwin's fingers running up and down the smaller man's back soothingly.

Levi couldn't stop the tears. They kept coming, staining Erwin's dress shirt. Quiet sobs escaped his lips and he covered his mouth to stop them. It didn't help. But Erwin didn't mind, though. He didn't push the smaller man away like he was supposed to and demand that he stop crying, telling him that he himself had seen far more deaths of his comrades than Levi would ever see. Instead, he pulled Levi closer and ran his fingers through the soft, short hair of his undercut while he cried.

Levi had been the first to pull away. He wiped at his eyes, letting out a harsh breath and straightening himself up. He refused to mourn like this.

He pushed himself up on the balls of his feet, wanting to put some space between the two of them. He didn't want to burden Erwin with this. Levi left Erwin in his office and walked briskly to the rooftop. But Erwin still followed, regardless of Levi's empty protests along the way. Erwin was insistent if not somewhat annoying.

Gold illuminated the sky. Blends of pink, orange, blue—Levi leaned back to take it in. He'd never properly seen a sunset, having grown up in the underground. Sure he'd watched the stars, a few nights ago with Isabel and Farlan. But this was entirely different. Isabel and Farlan were dead. 

"It's beautiful," Erwin had stated nonchalantly. "Sometimes I miss how calm it can be."

Levi simply hummed sadly in response and Erwin leaned back next to the smaller man, turning and giving him a sympathetic look. For once, the silence was comfortable. And Levi welcomed it with open arms.

It was then that Levi began to trust Erwin. He was never the man to give out his trust so easily. And maybe Erwin finally earned his trust.

But regardless, people began to talk—whispering in the corridors and prying eyes that would quickly look in the other direction when Levi caught them. Fraternization between a captain and a private was never spoken of.

Nevertheless, Levi still shot everyone down who asked about them. They weren't together and they never would be together. Period. Sunsets were just a therapeutic little thing they liked to do together. It wasn't romantic in any way and it was absolutely preposterous that anyone would even think that.

But it only became worse once Erwin became commander. He nervously offered up the role of captain to Levi, one autumn evening when the sunsets became shorter. Levi missed the slow aspect of it all.

"Is that an order, Commander?" Levi had questioned, swinging his legs off of the edge of the rooftop.

"It's not an order, I just thought..."

"What, that I'd accept your offer?" Levi scoffed. Erwin nodded sheepishly, the color rising in his cheeks quickly matching the sunset.

The silence that followed made Erwin squirm uncomfortably. Levi bit back a laugh at the taller man's nervousness.

"Of course I'd accept, dumbass." He breathed out after a few moments of suspense, shutting his eyes. "I'd follow you to hell and back...I trust you." The thought of becoming Erwin's right hand man scared him beyond belief. He accepted anyways.

Erwin sighed in relief, running a hand through his hair in satisfaction. "Thank you, Levi."

***

The amount of paperwork Erwin was handed daily was astounding. He was overworking himself to the point of exhaustion. Levi would constantly find the Commander asleep, his head resting on his arms, on his office desk, or nodding in and out of consciousness during meetings. 

Not to mention the monthly trips to Mitras to get trivial things like funding and support for the Survey Corps. The people still had little faith in the Commander. It was like this ever since Maria's fall.

It angered Levi to see Erwin like this. The way his eyes were always sad, the prominent rings of dark circles around them standing out immensely against the dim light of the empty corridors. They hadn't spoken in a few months, with Erwin buried neck-deep in paperwork and stressed beyond belief. The furthest they had gotten in conversation was the occasional greeting from Levi and a dismissive nod from Erwin.

"Tell me you're okay." Levi said, after forcefully dragging Erwin to the rooftops one evening. "Please, just," he tilted his head upwards and willed the tears back. "Get your head out of your ass and realize that you need help."

"Do you want the truth or the answer that will settle you?" Erwin gave in. "Because those are two very different answers."

"Just fucking answer me!" Levi cried. "You haven't so much as glanced at me in the past week, and we haven't spoken in months. I keep telling myself that you're fine but you're clearly not and I don't know how to help you because you won't just fucking talk to me." He wiped at his eyes furiously. "Talk to me, Erwin."

The sun cast a shadow across the blond as his face hardened. "I can't, Levi."

"Yes you can! I'm your right hand man, your Captain. I care about your wellbeing. We all do. Mike, Hanji, Nanaba. Even the shitty new recruits do, have you seen the way those recruits' eyes light up when they see you? You inspire them, Erwin. So please, just talk to me."

The tears falling from Erwin's face were not a surprise. Even if he refused to admit it, Levi still heard him crying in his office every so often. Stress did terrible things to a person.

But the kiss that came afterwards, that was a surprise. Erwin grabbed Levi by the collar, pulling him close. Levi met him half way, hyper aware of what he was doing.

Levi melted into it when their lips met, his hands reaching up and tangling into Erwin's hair. One of them let out a strangled noise, somewhere between a sob and a moan.

The kiss became deeper within a matter of seconds, with Erwin lifting Levi up like he weighed nothing and pressing him down against the roof, hovering over-top of the smaller man.

Erwin pulled back, his eyes glazed over sadly. "I'm sorry...something just came over me. My apolog—"

"Shut the fuck up and kiss me again." Levi groaned and pulled Erwin back down impatiently.

And so Erwin did, bringing his lips back to Levi's as the sun set on the horizon.

"Come to my room." Erwin gasped between his kisses along Levi's jaw. Levi hesitated slightly, pushing his thoughts away and pulling Erwin's lips back to his own. 

Levi didn't protest when Erwin began to undress him slowly.

***

It wasn't a secret anymore that the Commander cared deeply for his Captain and vice versa. Rumors surrounded the corps about a possible relationship between the two.

Levi and Erwin never denied it, but they never specifically confirmed it either.

The tabloids were the worst part about it, though. It nearly interfered with the reputation of the Survey Corps—not that there was much of a reputation anyways.

Erwin's dog, they had called Levi. Following him everywhere and not letting the man leave his sight. But in a sense, it was the other way around.

The expedition was going to commence regardless. They needed to make it to some shitty basement, or whatever. Eren's Titan powers proved to help them in more ways than one.

Levi had to constantly remind himself not to scare the kid too much. He'd probably already gone through enough.

He was never the one for inspirational or motivational speeches, but Eren really needed to make up his fucking mind. Insubordinate.

The expedition was a failure. Twenty-five percent casualties because of that shitty female Titan—

Levi's squad was gone. Petra, Oluo, Gunther, Eld. Gone. He should've been numb at this point.

But they were back at the beginning, with Levi crying into Erwin's shoulder at sunset. The only change was their intwined fingers and Erwin's chapped lips on Levi's forehead.

***

He wasn't there when Erwin lost his arm. Every fiber of his being wanted to be there, wanted to take that Titan down before it would ever be able to hurt Erwin.

Hanji wouldn't have let him into the hospital room if he hadn't cried in front of her. He even begged her, which was completely out of character for him. Levi only cried in front of Erwin.

Erwin was in bad condition. He was feverish, and the loss of his dominant arm didn't help. But the Commander was still determined to fight, for the good of humanity of course.

"How are you holding up?" Levi asked quietly, pulling a chair up to sit beside Erwin's bed.

"My arm is gone." Erwin stated with disbelief, like it was still only a dream. The stump where his right arm used to lie twitched in response. "Phantom limb is a bitch, but I've had worse."

"I love you." Levi blurted after a few minutes of silence between the two, immediately regretting the words. "I just...thought I'd say it, if there's ever a time that you don't come back."

"I know," Erwin had replied, his eyes sparkling. "I love you too. Always have, ever since Mike shoved your face into that puddle so many years ago. And in another life, with other circumstances, I'd marry you, Levi."

Levi smiled sadly, opening the curtains to a horizon painted blood orange and crawling into the bed. He settled down next to Erwin, wrapping his arms around the man and pulling him close so they could watch the sky. "I'd marry you too, you know. Wouldn't even hesitate. Maybe Hanji could be the pastor. And Eren can be the flower girl, but I don't think his sister would like that very much."

Erwin chuckled, pressing a kiss to his lover's forehead. "Maybe Armin, then. Eren can stand outside to scream at anyone who hasn't been invited."

"Does that include Nile?"

"Nile is my friend, Levi."

"He shits bricks and he smells like pubes." Levi deadpanned. Erwin laughed at that, squeezing Levi's hand.

They fell into a comfortable silence.

***

"Commander Erwin Smith has been taken into the custody of the Military Police." Hanji's voice echoed throughout the mess hall. "Squad Levi's operation will begin tomorrow. Any questions?" She crossed her arms.

Levi's heart dropped into his stomach. He knew the plan—he knew Erwin would be okay. But that didn't stop him from worrying.

The sun set without Erwin's arms around him. He was cold. But it was only temporary, he told himself in the dead of night.

***

Levi led his squad bravely, not hesitating when his Uncle Kenny came into the picture.

He needed to save Eren. It was the only way he could get back to Erwin.

Armin's mind, and Mikasa's strength, Jean's perseverance, Sasha's strong will. They all pushed Levi forward, even when he was technically still their leader if anything.

"I'll rip that asshole's throat out if I have to." Mikasa pulled her scarf up over her mouth. "We have to save him."

"I mean, I'm not saying I can tolerate Jaeger, because I can't, he's a huge fucking dickwad and—" Jean started, quickly interrupted by Mikasa's warning coughs.

"Okay, right. Anyways, point is, I still sort of feel bad. He wasn't supposed to get caught. So we need to get him back." Everyone nodded in agreement, raising their glasses in a toast around the fire before they began their battle.

***

They won, taking Eren back and freeing the Commander from Military Police custody just minutes before he would have been hung.

Historia Reiss took the throne. Levi couldn't be prouder, to be honest. In the past couple of months he started to feel like the 104th were family to him. Maybe he was a father-figure to them.

When Erwin returned he barely made it one step into his office before Levi's lips were on his own. They had been apart for an entire month.

"I missed you so much." Erwin whispered in between kisses. "I love you."

Levi would never get used to those words. Not even when they passed his own lips once again in reply.

This time the sky was painted rose, and Levi held onto Erwin as they sat together on the rooftop for the first time in a long time.

And this time, when the rose had faded to black and they had stumbled down the halls and onto Erwin's bed with their lips connected, Levi didn't hesitate.

***

Months turned to years. Levi lost count of how many sunsets he spent watching with the company of Erwin.

The Titans were gone. They could live in peace, for once. Levi had never known peace until then.

And this time, when they sat on that same rooftop, there was no lingering fear of what lied beyond.

"Marry me," Erwin had whispered softly against Levi's neck.

"You know I will." Levi smiled. He smiled a real, genuine smile. Erwin's heart melted at the sight.

Erwin took Levi's hand in his own, rubbing his thumb against the smaller man's as they watched the lilac sky.

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Taylor my beta because she's great and awesome and helps things yaaaay  
> also I was gonna kill Erwin at the end of this while they watched the sunset for the last time but you all got lucky  
> follow my [tumblr](http://smithlets.tumblr.com/)


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